Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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1105. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will meet with a group either in Leinster House, or the locality, in relation to a serious matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10987/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Tackling rural crime is a priority for the Government. With regards to burglaries, which can be of particular concern for people living in rural areas of the country, I can say that An Garda Síochána have had considerable success in reducing the prevalence of this through Operation Thor, which focuses on the prevention of burglaries and associated crimes, throughout Ireland, using strategies which are adapted for both rural and urban settings.

Operation Thor actively targets organised crime gangs and repeat offenders through co-ordinated crime prevention and enforcement activity based on intelligence and the latest burglary trends. Under Operation Thor, the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) co-ordinates and supports Divisional resources actively targeting organised crime gangs and repeat offenders, particularly involved in rural burglaries and crimes, through enforcement activity based on intelligence and the latest burglary trends.

One focus area of Operation Thor is crime prevention through visible, focused patrols at specific times of day, targeting burglary ‘hot-spots’ and also using high-visibility check points that prevent ease of movement. Burglaries and related offences were down 43% in 2023 compared with 2019, and down 64% when compared with 2015.

While the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution and allocation of resources among Garda Divisions, my priority as Minister for Justice is to get more Gardaí on our streets through increased recruitment and appropriate civilianisation where possible. The Programme for Government commits to recruiting at least 5,000 Gardaí in the coming five years.

There was significant interest in the 2025 recruitment campaign with just over 6,700 people applying. In addition, 201 trainees entered the Garda College in Templemore on Monday, the highest number since 2019.

The soon-to-be-commenced Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024 will provide for the establishment of Local Community Safety Partnerships, which will operate at each local authority level. The Partnerships are building upon the work undertaken through Joint Policing Committees and supplementing this by bringing together a broader range of relevant stakeholders including local councillors, An Garda Síochána, local residents, community representatives, business and education representatives, and a range of statutory agencies including the HSE, Tusla and each local authority.

Each Partnership will be required to produce a Community Safety Plan, which will focus on solutions to their specific safety concerns, as identified by the community itself. The PSCS Act also provides for area-based neighbourhood community safety fora to facilitate a tailored, targeted and time-limited approach where issues of concern are arising in a more localised area.

Regarding the Deputy's suggestion for a meeting, I will provide his office with the contact details for meeting requests separately.